Cutest mugs ever...

So many days, so little time, and then I see these and really great smiles and remember again why we call ourselve mom's and don't leave the country when the word "Mom" has been yelled for the 150th time that day... the smiles we can capture, the people our kids are, and the things they do to amaze us. I love being a Mom! I love that my husband chooses to work really hard all the time so that I can be here every day when they get up, when they leave, and when they get home. It's a blessing I sometimes take for granted I hope I'll be better at remembering it next time I want to scream for the messes I'm never caught up on cleaning.

Alyssa, now almost 9 mos. is army crawling as fast as she can. She's pulling herself up in her crib and rattling the bars like a prison cell, giggling out-loud belly laughs at her siblings, and just keeping us all smiling. I LOVE that she is such a happy baby, a great napper, and lets be honest, its not so bad that she can't quite say Mom yet :) But she is a light in our family and everyone is genuinely excited to see her each and every day!

Reagan, just turned 3, is my forever "shadow" and as every Mother will imply, "I hope you have a daughter just like you one day!" This statement has come to fruition with this child #3. She does not leave my side for much, she loves to go wherever I go, do whatever I do, and ask 100 questions to decipher the things she's not sure she can keep up with. She LOVES Bailey and Chance and shadows them as long as they'll let her, but being that she's 3, sometimes they're not anxious to have her tag along. My favorite quote of the day came last week on the night of Parent Teacher Conferences and she was frustrated that she had to stay home with a sitter, while Bailey and Chance got to go with me to visit the school. When I tried explaining that Ba would meet with Mrs. Boswell and I, and Chance with Mrs. Bryan... she finally rattles off "Well I need to meet with my teacher too." And who is that Reagan? (She's not in Pre-school yet) "With Bailey, she is my teacher, she teaches me letters and colors, I need to meet with her too" ... man I love that girl!

Chance, 5 is just a little man-cub, from the grunting sounds that he makes, the machine guns, the kung-fu kicks, to the hours building with legos. They are his new love and he is lucky to make it through the day without having to stop to clean those things up at least twice if not three times. He is also the resident artist in our home, his ability to see things in his mind and create it on paper astounds me, especially considering his age. He's Daddy's little buddy, and still my 2nd Boyfriend :) Ever concious of his clothes matching and his hair spiking, I think we're in for a ride when the girls really start to notice him.

Bailey 6 - Now in 1st Grade and reading up a storm, she told me yesterday she stayed in from recess to finish her chapter in Junie B Jones ???? stayed inside on a BEAUTIFUL sunny fall day... who does that! She's the teacher in our house, the 2nd Mom, the organizer and director of all kids available.

Pretty much a Type A personality.... I wonder where she gets that :) But she's my greatest helper, usually my most apt to pick-up and help with whatever I need help with, and add to that her newly acquired piano skills she's one of my favorite people. I just can't imagine what life would be without her in it.

And lastly, but certainly not least... is the daddy :) This shot from my cell phone this week just made my day. Aly had been chewing on a straw and I got one of her doing that alone, then had to get one with her dad since thats his second favorite past time. Many here in Nephi think he's a smoker since he's always got a straw hanging out of his mouth. But recently I've been reminded of just a few of the reasons I love this guy so much (no pu intended) and I hope that while I try to show him, that he knows I could never survive without him to crawl into bed and talk til all hours of the night with. Thanks for all you do... and mostly for these 4 rugrats!!